A grand marble staircase with ornate
iron and bronze railings rises from the ground floor to
the second floor of the Main Building and the entrance to
the Life Science Library.

The southern hallway is a portrait
gallery displaying portraits of distinguished individuals
who were significant to The University:

Logan Wilson, President of UT
1953-1960; Mrs. James B. Clark, wife of
James B. Clark, long-time member of the Library staff,
and guardian of the campus flowers; W.J. Battle,
Professor of Classical Languages and President ad
interim; H. J. Parlin, Professor of
English and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Harry
Yandell Benedict, President of The University
1927-37; Alexander W. Terrell, active
supporter of The University in the Legislature; A.P.
Woolridge,influencial Secretary of the Board of
Regents and Mayor of Austin; and George
Washington Brackenridge,1832-1920, first great
benefactor and long-time regent.

The walls in the central elevator
lobby are faced with limestone over a base of black
marble with a richly decorated ceiling. On the north
wall, next to the stairway, is a bronze plaque of R.L.
Batts, Professor of Law, United States Circuit Judge, and
Regent of The University, who died in 1935.

Main 212

The large bronze and glass doors lead
to the Academic
Room (formerly the conference
room for the Board of Regents). This room is two stories
high and was intended for formal University functions.
Silk damask covers the walls and plaster floral patterns
covered in gold leaf decorate the vaulted ceiling. Along
the ceiling and walls are engraved citations on the
topics of knowledge and education.

The rooms in the southern portion of
both the east and west wings were designed as colonnaded
outdoor reading rooms, but before completion of the
building they were enclosed with glass to be used as
classrooms. Today they house the Office of Institutional
Studies in the west wing, and the Office of the Executive
Vice President and Provost in the east wing.

The rooms located on either side of
the Academic Room were intended to be reading rooms, one
for men and one for women. The room to the west, Main
210, containing plaster busts of Franklin, Caesar, and
Voltaire was formerly the Office of the Chancellor. This
space is currently used as a conference room.